Lyle and Erik Menendez

(1968-)

American murderers

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Joseph Lyle Menéndez (born January 10, 1968) and Erik Galen Menéndez (born November 27, 1970) are American brothers who were convicted in 1996 for the 1989 shotgun murders of their wealthy parents, LIVE Entertainment executive José Menéndez and his wife Mary ("Kitty"). Although the brothers were not considered suspects at first, suspicions about their involvement arose when they began to spend money lavishly after the murders. During the trial, the brothers alleged that they committed the murders because of years of sexual and emotional abuse that they suffered at the hands of their parents, particularly their father. They were first tried separately, with one jury for each brother. Both juries deadlocked, which resulted in a mistrial. For the second trial, they were tried together by the same jury, which found them guilty, and as a result, they were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.